ANATOMIC VARIATION OF RETROMANDIBULAR VEIN AND THE FACIAL NERVE DURING SUPERFICIAL PAROTIDECTOMY – A CASE REPORT

Abstract

Knowledge of anatomic variations occurring in the head and neck region is very important for surgeons performing surgeries in these regions. Identification of facial nerve and its branches is the most important step while performing parotidectomy.During the parotid surgery, retromandibular vein is used as a guide to expose the facial nerve inside the parotid gland.The vein is also used as a landmark to identify facial nerve preoperatively,during computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and sonography.In our report we describe the anomalous relationship of retromandibular vein and facial nerve during left superficial parotidectomy in a 27year old female. In normal anatomical relation the retromandibular vein passes medial to the branches of facial nerve, in our case the retromandibular vein was found to pass lateral to the cervicofacial trunk of facial nerve and medial to the temporofacial trunk of facial nerve.These kinds of anomalous relation between these two structures are very important to be known to the surgeons while performing parotid surgeries.